Page 11 of Deadly Little Games (Four Ways to Fate #2)

11

As we rode, Gabriel explained that Evenlee was the village we had visited together. Other than that, there wasn’t much he could tell me. We would simply have to see for ourselves what had the messenger so worried.

The first thing I noticed as we neared was that the village was dark, save for a cluster of goblins holding torches. Then I realized that they hadn’t actually turned out the lights. Their homes were covered in thick swarming masses of vines. There were so many vines that they completely covered the windows, blocking out all light.

And there weren’t enough goblins standing out in the road. Some of them had to be trapped inside the homes. Sure enough, when our horse stilled and we stopped to listen, I could hear shouting and banging coming from inside the nearest structures, the noise muffled by the stone and thick vines.

“What happened?” I gasped.

Gabriel gripped me tightly against him, making sure I stayed on the horse. I glanced back at him, then followed his gaze further into the village where Mistral stood on his own. The huddled goblins were watching him too.

“Stay on the horse,” Gabriel ordered. “If you feel you are in danger, just kick your feet. She knows the way home.”

I gripped his arm before he could dismount, stupidly hung up on the fact that I would have assumed such a massive horse was male. I hadn’t taken a close enough look to tell one way or another. “I’m not just going to leave you guys. Tell me what’s going on so I can help.”

“This has nothing to do with you, Eva.” He pulled his arm free from mine, then dismounted, marching off toward Mistral.

I felt uneasy as soon as he was gone, having no faith in my ability to control the massive beast, though it didn’t make a move in any direction. Some of the goblins were now looking my way, muttering amongst themselves.

I cast a furtive glance at them, then turned my head to watch Gabriel as he drew that massive sword, approaching Mistral. They were too far for me to hear what words were exchanged between them, but they both watched as the vines trailed ever higher. Some of the homes were nothing but green, completely sealing away whoever was inside.

It was magic, but it didn’t feel like bad magic. I could sense it emanating from the nearest vines, but it just felt like the Bogs. Only amplified . I remembered what Gabriel had said about the magic getting out of control, and I realized this is what he meant. It took goblin magic to create the Bogs, but here, it seemed like it was… unraveling.

Sword drawn, Gabriel watched Mistral’s back as the other man sank to his knees, placing his hands against the dirt. I felt a stronger flare of magic just as it hit some of the vines, making them retreat. They were still for a moment, making the muttering from the other goblins seem loud, then they abruptly resumed their climb, leaves slithering and hissing across stone.

I felt another pulse of magic, and realized it was Mistral pouring more magic into the ground, trying to control the vines. Was this what Sebastian had meant? Was this the bargain Mistral had struck with him? I didn’t see how else he could have enough power to actually control the land.

I found myself slipping from the horse without thinking. I had taken several steps toward Mistral and Gabriel without realizing what I was doing. I stopped, glancing at the gathered goblins now that half of them were watching me.

A larger pulse of magic made my legs go temporarily numb, then the vines retreated further, and this time their retreat continued. I whipped my gaze in Mistral’s direction to see him lowering further to the ground.

Gabriel looked back at me, his eyes shining in the dark. Seeing that I was off the horse, he shook his head.

Behind him, Mistral slumped onto his side, drawing Gabriel‘s attention.

With the other goblins whispering desperately behind me, I ran toward them. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

Gabriel held out an arm to bar my way as I reached them. “Don’t touch him.”

I looked down at Mistral, but I couldn’t see his face through his hair. He had managed to climb to his knees, but it seemed he could go no further.

I inhaled a trembling breath. “He can’t maintain it. He doesn’t have enough magic within him.” As soon as I spoke the words, I knew they were true. The land was powerful, and so much of that power was surging up through the vines. Mistral’s own magic was like a flickering candle next to a forest fire.

“You can sense it?” Gabriel’s voice was strained. He was worried.

“I don’t know who wouldn’t sense it.” The waves of magic had been impressive, but it wasn’t enough. The vines were beginning to stir again, ready to resume their climb. They hadn’t lowered enough to reveal any of the doors or windows of the homes. I remembered the village as it was. The goblins seated under glowing lanterns. The tavern a lovely warm place filled with laughter.

I had to do something,

I tried to go to Mistral, but Gabriel held me back.

“You have to let me help him.”

He gripped my arm, trying to shove me behind him. “It’s too dangerous.”

“It’s too dangerous not to.” I tried to tug away from him. I didn’t have enough magical knowledge to know exactly what was happening, but I sensed Mistral at our feet. He was fading. And that was all I needed to know.

“Someone has to help him.” I tried tugging away again. “If you won’t let me, then you need to do it.”

He turned his gaze down to me, and it was filled with pain. He understood what was happening, probably better than I did, and I understood in that moment that he couldn’t help. He didn’t have whatever Sebastian had given to Mistral in their bargain.

I met that pain-filled gaze solidly. “Let me go, Gabriel.”

His hand released me reflexively.

I met his eyes for a moment longer, feeling sympathy for the indecision I saw there. But there was no time to offer him any comfort. I dropped to my knees beside Mistral, hovering one hand over him, afraid to actually touch him.

When he didn’t even seem to notice my presence, I laid my hand on his shoulder. Still, nothing happened. I could feel his tenuous control as he tried to hold the vines back.

I wanted to help, but now that I was here, I had no idea what to do.

I lifted my hand to move his hair out of the way, placing my bare palm against his neck. His skin was cold. I could barely feel his pulse.

Sebastian claimed I had given Mistral new magic, but I felt no hint of it now. The vines didn’t move. Nothing moved. Even the onlookers had fallen silent.

“Tell me how to help you,” I muttered, keeping my hand pressed against his neck, willing some of that warm magic to flare between us.

He inhaled sharply, startling me, then he lifted one hand to push my palm more firmly against his neck. A tiny spark of my magic came to life within me.

I sank to the ground beside him and he finally met my eyes. He didn’t speak, but the look was enough. Whatever he was trying to do, it was too much. He couldn’t control the land. He couldn’t keep the goblin realm as it was on his own.

A faint glow began to emanate from my skin where it touched him. A prickle of magic. “What do you need me to do?”

“Just, trust me.” His words were so weak I barely heard them.

Panic spiked through me. Trust me . They weren’t words I usually responded well to. The only person I could really trust was Braxton.

He slumped a little further to the ground.

Waves of panic crashed through my body, but I took a deep breath to quiet them. He had never offered me actual harm, and he had comforted me when I needed it. I hadn’t known him long, but he had already proven that he could be there for me in ways that few others could.

“I trust you,” I breathed, even though it felt like a strange sort of sacrifice to do so.

He gripped my palm tightly against him for a moment, then used my hand to pull me toward him, surprisingly fiercely. I ended up on the ground beneath him as he laid himself over me.

I looked up at him wide-eyed, my breath catching in my throat, then he kissed me, and the magic spiked between us.

As soon as our lips met, I understood what he was doing. We had raised a lot of magic between us before. Maybe enough magic to control the land.

I relaxed into the kiss, my body reacting to the feel of him on top of me, then I remembered the goblin onlookers and stiffened.

I broke the kiss, turning my head toward the onlookers, but all I could see was Gabriel standing with his back to us a few paces away.

“No one will come near,” Mistral said into my ear. He lifted himself to look down at me, though his arms were trembling.

“I know.” I spoke past the lump in my throat.

“If you are not able to do this, then speak the truth.”

I turned my head to meet those stunning gray eyes. “What will happen to you if I can’t?”

He met my eyes, but didn’t answer, because he could only speak the truth. And he knew if he did, that I wouldn’t want to say no.

With a new sense of resolve, I lifted my hands to cradle his chin, pulling him down on top of me. “Gabriel better keep them far away.” I kissed him, and this time with abandon.

He sank against me as I wrapped my legs around him, pressing my back into the damp grass. He kissed down my neck, and more power flared with every caress. It was easier this time, like it was waiting just below the surface.

Just like with Crispin—

I silenced my thoughts, not wanting to get distracted from our task, which became easy as Mistral reached a hand between us to unbutton my jeans. The tug at my waistband sent a tug even lower, pleasure already building even though all we had done was kiss.

“I do hate to rush,” he whispered against my skin, “but I can’t hold the land for much longer.”

If he thought he needed to apologize, he was wrong, because the idea of skipping frantically to the finale had its own appeal to me. He ground against me, and I could feel him hard and ready through his pants.

“Do what you need to do,” I panted.

The next thing I knew, he had flipped me over and pulled my jeans down from my ass. I felt him reaching into his pocket, then shifting to lower his pants with the crinkle of foil. I had a moment to remember that we were once again not alone, then Mistral slid inside me with a single thrust.

I let out a moan then cut myself off, glancing in Gabriel’s direction, but I could only see the silhouette of his back, and no sign of the goblins beyond. Mistral pulled almost out of me, then thrust again, slamming against my body.

The pleasure already building in my core exploded. I pushed my fingers through the grass, pressing my cheek against the damp blades, breathing in the heady scent of fertile soil. Magic built up in my chest as Mistral pounded against me, but I wasn’t sure what to do with it. This time, I had no need to be anywhere else.

He thrust harder, making me groan every time his body met mine, bringing me close to the edge. “How do I—”

He leaned his chest over my back, the change in angle making me gasp. “Just let go, Eva. Just let your magic go. I will guide it.”

Mistral ground himself into me, making my body tense around him, and suddenly all I could see were stars. But I didn’t go anywhere. I could still feel his hands on my hips. I could feel him thrusting into me, pressing my knees into the cold grass and soil, dampening my jeans still wrapped around my legs. I did as he asked, I relaxed into the sensations, loosening my grip on my magic, letting it flow around us.

And just like that, it poured into him. Even with my eyes closed and concentration, the starlight was almost blinding. An orgasm hit me, and with it I cried out and let loose my final shred of control. I could feel the spell he wove together, sending it into the earth, asserting dominance over all that wild magic.

But some of that magic refused to be tamed. And it called out not to him, but to me. I felt it gripping me. I tried to steady myself, but I was still seeing stars. I could sense the shift, but I couldn’t see any way to stop it.

And when I opened my eyes, I was entirely alone.

I sat bolt upright, looking around frantically. One of my feet had ended up in the water, soaking through my sneaker and chilling me further. I yanked it out of the stream with a hiss, and struggled to pull up and fasten my jeans. Once I was fully clothed, I glanced around warily. I had no idea where I’d ended up, but it still felt like the Bogs.

Which was good and bad. Good, because maybe I wasn’t far from Gabriel and Mistral, but bad because things like trolls roamed the Bogs, and I was defenseless.

I had only taken a few steps when something splashed in the water behind me. I whirled around, lifting my hands defensively for what good it would do me, then blinked down at a stunningly gorgeous woman with green tinged skin so pale it picked up the moonlight. She smiled at me, showing perfect white teeth, no fangs.

“Um, hello,” I said hesitantly.

She rose further out of the water, revealing that she was nude, though it didn’t make me feel any better. I knew a goblin woman lurking in a stream waiting for an unsuspecting visitor would not be defenseless. She tilted her head, splaying dark, wet locks across her shoulders. “Hello. Are you lost?”

I took another step away from the water. That was not a question you answered honestly in the Bogs. “Nope, just waiting for a couple of very powerful high goblins to meet me.”

She took another step, rising further to reveal her slender form. “I don’t see nor hear any goblins coming this way.” Her words held a distinct hiss , her voice breathy.

I stepped back again, bumping against a tree. “Trust me, they’ll be here.”

I flinched at another splash as a second woman popped above the water’s surface. With her face dripping, she smiled at me, though her words were for her companion. “She shines like the moon, doesn’t she?”

The other woman tilted her head. “More like the stars. Where did you come from, little star?”

Her bare feet had reached the bank. I wasn’t sure how fast she could move on land, but I had no intention of finding out.

“I’ll just wait for my companions… somewhere else.” I stepped around the tree behind me, prepared to turn and run, but as soon as I turned my way was blocked.

A third woman, dripping with water, regarded me from only inches away. She was older and plumper than the other two, and standing close enough that I could see her eyes were the deep aqua of a distant ocean. “You smell like goblin magic. How odd.”

I staggered back as she reached for me, bumping into the same tree I’d stepped around. Green tinted hands reached around each side of the trunk, grabbing my arms and locking me in place against the rough bark. Serene stars watched from overhead, offering me no help at all.

The eldest of the trio stepped close again, her eyes dancing with mischief. “Would you like to learn to swim, little star?”

I tugged against the hands holding me, but I couldn’t budge them. Even when I shifted slightly, they didn’t let go. “Gabriel!” I shouted, having no idea if he was near enough to hear me. “Mistral!”

No answer. But they had to be looking for me. They wouldn’t just leave me out here alone. Every time I was in the Bogs, Gabriel always found me.

The goblin woman in front of me darted her hand toward my face, then knotted her fingers in my hair near my scalp. She wrenched my head painfully to one side. “Let’s see if stars can breathe underwater. Maybe before she dies, she’ll sparkle for us.”

The other two women laughed somewhere behind me.

I pulled against the grip on my hair, but she was just as strong as the one holding me around the tree. “What did I ever do to you!” I gasped at the stabbing pain in my head.

The one behind the tree released me, then the one holding my hair yanked me hard enough that I lost my footing. She started dragging me across the ground toward the water. “Little star shined too brightly.”

I gripped her slick hand around my hair, trying to right myself. “Gabriel!” He had to be coming. He always found me.

Water splashed around me as the woman dragged me into the stream. It was ice cold, stealing my breath. She tugged me across the surface, then plunged me downward, putting my head under. I thrashed against her, unable to feel the pain in my scalp with the ice cold water making my skin go numb. My final breath whooshed out of me in the stream of bubbles, the grip on my hair unrelenting.

Panic struck straight to my heart. No one was coming to save me, and curse it all, I was not going to die like this. I had managed to travel to Sebastian just by thinking of him, and I could do it again. I didn’t need someone else to call out my magic. Just as I was about to black out, I pictured Gabriel standing over me. He was far too tall and bossy, but he would protect me. I knew he would.

Lights sparkled around me, stars underwater. The woman yanked on my head, tugging me deeper, then suddenly her hand was gone. The stream and icy cold were gone too.

I landed hard on dry ground, coughing up water.

“Eva!”

I felt hands on me. Big hands. Gabriel gripped my shoulders, helping me sit upright. I tried to look at him, but water streamed from my hair into my eyes.

He pushed it out of my face so I could see him. He knelt before me, his horse a few paces behind him. “Gods, Eva, you can’t just go disappearing like that.”

“It’s not like I did it on—” I started choking, coughing up more stream water.

He held onto me until my choking fit was over, but now I was trembling. It wasn’t a warm night, and my clothes were soaking wet.

Before I could say another word, Gabriel lifted me into his arms.

“The village?” I managed to ask as he carried me toward his horse.

“Under control. Everyone is safe, for now.”

I huddled against him for warmth, pushing my wet hair out of my face again. “It’s too much for Mistral to manage. He can’t keep it up.” I didn’t understand everything, but I knew that much. My teeth started chattering and I buried my cheek against his chest.

Reaching his horse, he looked down at me. “I know. And he knows it too.”

“Sebastian told me about their bargain,” I chattered. “I know that Mistral took control of the land once his mother died.” And I was starting to suspect something else. Something terrible. “It killed her, didn’t it?”

He met my waiting gaze. “Many of the creatures here cannot survive without the Bogs.”

“Is it worth Mistral dying over?”

“He seems to think so.” He lifted me onto the horse, then boosted himself up behind me.

“Well he’s wrong,” I muttered.

His arms wrapped around me, pulling me close. “At least we finally agree on something.”